I had weird wear with Hayes rotors as well. The surface developed this kind of wave in it, making up thin and thick sections on the brake track in concentric rings. Your explanation kinda makes sense - I just attributed it to poor aftermarket brake pads but your explanation sounds more likely. Rotors were too soft in any case. My Shimano rotors have done way more work and show hardly any wear at all.

The Hayes pad didn't line up properly with the brake track either, so I ended up almost wearing through the rotor spoke and came close to cutting off the brake track! Well, not quite but there was significant undercutting so I ended up chucking the rotors in the bin later that year and putting a spare set on when it was time to sell the bike.

Will take me awhile to trust Hayes again as a long term proposition.

@Baldy: I like Mavic rims. Unfortunately it looks like CRC will no longer ship Mavic to Oz. I think Shimano and DT Swiss both do UST rims and wheelsets.

If you buy the brake set new, they usually come pre-bled and fully assembled - you just bolt them on and hope that the hydraulic cable isn't too long. Easiest brakes to install in my experience.

Make sure you keep the plastic pad separator though - it's handy when you want to pop the front wheel out to fix a flat.

So we get the leaders we deserve and we elect, we get the companies and the products that we ask for, right? And we have to ask for different things. – Paul Gildingbut really, that's rubbish. We get none of it because the choices are illusory.

Richard.L wrote:Sorry to hijack, but im thinking about getting my first hydraulic brake (front only) do i need to bleed it or anything for first use?

No - just make sure you have the line cable tied well away from the tire - I have a tie at tire height so there is no looseness there, and prepare for it to be weak in its first few applications with an unused rotor and unbedded pads (ie you'll probably be pleasantly suprised, but don't make the first stop life or death).